Weeknight Ricotta Pasta Bake
There is one little thing about kids and food that I am 99% sure of. But first, I should ask your opinion.
WHAT IS THE ONE DINNER FOOD THAT ALL KIDS LOVE?
Did you say spaghetti?
Yes! I knew it!
If you said hot dogs or hamburgers you might be right too, but I think spaghetti is the true Universal food of kids. And love. And all of the warm and cozy feelings.
(amiright?)
But this isn’t a post about spaghetti, so what am I even talking about?
One day I will post a spaghetti recipe, but first I need to get it from my mom. Because my mom makes the best spaghetti in the world. (If you’re all Italian and proud, sorry. My Swedish mom is a great cook. And spaghetti really is just one of her many specialties. Just sayin’.)
And I do make spaghetti too. I have to because…My kids are normal (well, that’s stretching it but–) they love spaghetti. Even Levi, who doesn’t really like food, (unless you count gum?)… will lick a plate of spaghetti clean.
So, indeed I make spaghetti. Quite a bit.
But here’s the problem: I get bored of it. Bored of the noodles, bored of the flavor. Bored of the whole thing.
What I personally like more than spaghetti is baked pasta dishes. I don’t know what it is…the way the flavors come out in the oven, the creamy cheese I like to mix in there, or the simplicity of a one-pot dish.
I like that you can cook up the noodles and the sauce ahead of time, craft a nice big baking dish of all of the goods, and then it’s ready to bake when you are.
Another bonus is that the majority of the cleanup can be done in advance. I enjoy a meal so much more when there is NOT a pile of dishes waiting for me (or let’s be honest, my kids) in the sink.
For this reason, a baked pasta is a splendid choice to make for company. The pasta can be in the oven when the guests arrive, and I can actually join the party.
(Who wants to have their head over a hot stove while everyone else visits? Not this extrovert!)
As with everything, you can personalize this meal in many ways. You can go with or without the meat. You can substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta. And add whatever herbs and spices you like! I am using my Tower Garden fresh basil like crazy right now…because I’m pretty sure I have grown enough for the whole island of Oahu.
I titled this a weeknight meal, because I tend to imagine it on a rainy Wednesday night or something, but that is just me missing my childhood, and the Pacific Northwest, and being a weirdo.
But obviously: This recipe is entirely acceptable for a weekend. In fact, this might be an ideal Sunday dinner. 🙂
Here’s the printable recipe!
Weeknight Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS
- 1 package 16 ounces uncooked rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 pound ground turkey or beef. optional.
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 container 15 ounces ricotta cheese (can substitute small curd cottage cheese, blended well.)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup for topping
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 jars marinara sauce of choice 26 oz. each.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tbsp. dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely.
- 2-3 cups 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- fresh basil
- Optional, chopped vegetables, and your favorite seasonings
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Spray 13X9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
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In a large skillet coated with cooking spray or oil, cooked onion until soft.
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Add meat and cook well.
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In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper, and basil.
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Add marinara sauce to your ground meat, and spread 1/2 of mixture over bottom of prepared pan; spoon half of cooked pasta over sauce. Top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers of marinara sauce, pasta and ricotta mixture.
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Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella.
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Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Uncover and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is completely melted. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parmesan cheese.
ENJOY! And let me know if you try it. (tagging @thegrommom on instagram is always a fun way to see what you’re making! :))
Quick note: Today the boys and I are headed to Arizona for a fun week in the desert with my parents! (Dave has to work, boo.)
I have a post with a fun little post I hope to publish by the end of the week, so check back. ***Also, you can follow all of our desert adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Sending you Aloha!
Monica
PS What is your kid’s favorite food? #curious
Yay, this recipe looks awesome and perfect for an easy to make post-baby meal! It’s going on our menu this week.
Amen, Urban Wife! This is going to be dinner for my husband’s BFF and his wife, who just had their first baby. 🙂 Cooking adventures ahoy!
Oh I am so so SO happy for you and new baby!! I do hope this meal is a yummy healing meal for all of you! 🙂 God bless and sending aloha and hugs-
We just returned from Arizona! My boys loved hiking and climbing. I was a fan of the pool and the desert flowers.Enjoy your trip.
I make almost an identical dish, except no eggs. Can’t wait to try it with the eggs. Might hold together better….
Pasta is the only dish I can make that I KNOW all will eat… Maybe hamburgers,too. My odd kiddos don’t like chicken strips, eggs or hot dogs.
This sounds delicious!
My kids love spaghetti! So one night we will have regular spaghetti, and then a few nights later we will do a “spaghetti bake” (similar to your recipe) with the leftovers!
So, does this make it official? I am the only mom on the face of the earth who has a child who will not touch pasta in any shape or form? My 11-year-old son will not eat pasta – no spaghetti, no mac-n-cheese, no egg noodles… not a single bite! Same child won’t touch hot dogs, but he would eat hamburgers every meal of the week if he could. But then my youngest (age 3), who will eat just about everything, including spinach and broccoli… won’t touch a hamburger. Kids!
So funny Jennifer–YES, you are the only mom on the face of the earth, haha!! Who knows, kids are just plain weird. 🙂 Hang in there and thanks for making me laugh! aloha-
I know how you feel. All 3 of my now adult children still will not eat potatoes of any kind (most notably french fries) except mashed potatoes they would eat at every meal if they could. The only kids I’ve ever seen that would not eat a french fry (and all 3 of them none the less). Not even McDonalds…lol.
Taco Tuesday is our favorite night!
This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing the comfort food recipe!
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
Monica,
Will you be there through the weekend? It’s only a couple hours from here. Maybe we could c8me say hi?
Aww, Kendall–Of course I thought of you guys from the start! I will text Teresa when I have a second…We have other family in town too, so my folks seem to have a pretty organized schedule (I just wanna lay by the pool, haha! ;)) But I’ll get in touch in case! aloha neighbor! (Wish I could come by and see YOUR new house! :))
My boys have days they eat me out of house and home. Then there are days I think they may be training to be monks. They eat nothing. Like I don’t know how they are still alive. And no consistency. Makes me crazy! They eat the best and most when we have “snack plate,” which is cutting up a ton of fruits and veggies, turkey pepperoni, cheese and crackers. Usually fills to large plates and they consume it. At least they are getting the food groups that way!
Great idea Paige! It’s true: Kids love to snack…I should work on that more with Levi! Aloha-
My family has a favorite casserole(pasta baked dish) I have to make every week.
I make it using leftover chicken from the night before. There’s cheese & artichokes & black olives, etc.
Have fun in Arizona!!! 🙂
We just had spaghetti last night! I like to put my meat sauce on spaghetti squash. Its Delish!
Now I would LOVE that! Squash is the best!! XO
I sauté zucchini and have my meat sauce over that! It’s a no go for the kids, but I like it even more than pasta.